Video: Man claims police beat him in hospital parking lot

By PoliceOne Staff

MERIDEN, Conn. — Video was released Tuesday showing a Meriden officer apparently punching a man, who has filed a lawsuit over the incident claiming police brutality.

In a hospital security video, officers Evan Cossette and Mark Nowak arrest Joseph Bryans, 31, in January 2011. Bryans lays on the ground in the parking lot and Cossette, who is the son of the Meriden Police Chief, appears to punch him from behind a patrol car.

Bryans said he was at the hospital getting treatment for a cut on his hand and left the building to smoke a cigarette, NBC Connecticut reported. Hospital staff told security Bryan had gone outside and needed to be restrained, according to the lawsuit.

The two officers were reportedly at the hospital on a different call, but assisted in returning Bryan inside.

An internal investigation cleared Cossette of wrongdoing. He denies using excessive force and says he punched and used an ECD on Bryans when he became combative.

Bryans was charged with breach of peace, threatening and interfering with police, according to the Record Journal.